Yongle Lake Water Conservancy Scenic Area

Yongle Lake Water Conservancy Scenic Area

Yongle Lake Water Conservancy Scenic Area is a national AAA-level tourist attraction and a national water conservancy scenic area.

Yongle Lake is located in Yangjiao Village, Yongle Township, Nanming District, Guiyang City, in the northeast corner. It lies in the suburbs of Guiyang and is a multi-ethnic township, with ethnic minorities numbering around 3,200, mainly the Buyi and Miao peoples. The climate in Yongle Township is mild and pleasant, with no severe heat in summer or extreme cold in winter, abundant rainfall, and characteristics of a plateau climate. Yongle Lake (Shisun Gully Reservoir), is a water conservancy facility built at the end of 1979 to provide irrigation for nearly 6,000 acres of farmland in the central and eastern parts of Yongle Township. The reservoir area is situated on a gently inclined small anticline, composed of interbedded thin to medium-thick layered carbonate rocks and clastic rock strata from the Lower Triassic Daye Formation, with minor faults and joint fissures developed, and occasional karst caves. The dam is constructed on the upstream canyon of the Shisun Gully stream, as a double-curvature arch dam built with mortar-set stone. It stands 42.56 meters high, with a crest elevation of 1,216.56 meters, an arc length of 160 meters, a crest width of 4 meters, and is equipped with bidirectional concrete guardrails 1.20 meters high, giving the dam a majestic appearance. The middle of the dam crest features four spillway openings, each with a span of 4.6 meters, totaling 18.4 meters in width, with a crest elevation of 1,214.80 meters. It is designed to discharge 11.5 m³/s of floodwater. When the spillway is in operation, it forms an artificial waterfall nearly 40 meters high, creating a spectacular and imposing sight. The normal high water level is designed to be 1,214.80 meters, with an effective storage capacity of 5.148 million m³, a maximum flood level of 1,215.22 meters, and a dead water level of 1,195.40 meters. The designed irrigation area is 5,968 acres, but due to a large portion of the irrigated fields being converted to vegetable cultivation, resulting in reduced water demand, the actual irrigated area is currently only around 3,000 acres. Shisun Gully Canyon generally winds in a northeast-southwest direction through the hills and plateaus at the border between Guiyang City and Longli County. The Yongle Lake reservoir area stretches approximately 2 km, with a wide middle section and a narrower downstream end. Behind the dam lies a steep, deeply cut canyon about 5 km long, with continuous cliffs along the banks resembling a screen, earning it the nickname "Yongle Shitang Little Three Gorges." The slopes on both sides are densely covered with vines and lush vegetation, while the stream water originates from karst springs, clear and pure. The valley features numerous peculiar peaks and residual pillars, deep flows, and frequent sights of canyons, waterfalls, deep pools, and karst springs. The left bank’s gentle hillside slopes contain dense forests that rustle in the wind, complementing the grandeur of the arch dam, the serene high gorges, the rippling green waters, and the exquisitely beautiful landscape. The naturally-formed ecological scenery is the main highlight of Yongle Lake's tourism resources. Major attractions include: Yongle Lake, the Dam, Sky-Piercing Stone Bamboo Shoot, Python Ridge, Turtle Rock Peak, Shitang Canyon, Dafeng Cave, Plateau Forests, Ethnic Villages, and Yongle Fort.